For the first time, victim of Antigo prom night shooting speaks out

For the first time, one of the students wounded at the Antigo High School prom shooting is sharing his experience.

Collin Cooper was leaving prom with his friend and their dates when shots were fired.

“There was some loud banging and some sparks on the ground," said Collin. "I didn't know what it was yet. My leg got all tingly so I went down and grabbed my leg just to ease the tingling and that's when I felt a wound in my leg. And then a cop came out and shot the guy.”

Collin's friend Spencer Fittante used his vest to wrap the wound.

“He took his vest off, and wrapped it around my leg and started putting pressure there,” Collin said.

The two friends lifeguard at the same pool and had training in first aid.

“He was very brave the whole time," said Fittante. "He was conscious the whole time. He was wiggling his toes."

The students weren't alone outside of the prom.

A police officer took down the gunman.

“I think that if he wouldn't have taken the action he did that I may not be here today,” said Collin.

He underwent three surgeries on his leg.

“I was shot on the left side and the bullet went through and it thankfully didn't hit any major arteries," said Collin. "It nicked one vein, shattered 10 percent of my tibia and then exited. The doctor said for what happened I'm really lucky that I didn't loose my leg.”

Collin's positivity throughout this whole ordeal runs throughout his family.

“I think probably just the biggest emotional part is just, I'm just so thankful that he is here, and that God has been so good,” said Tracy Cooper, Collin's mother.

However, another family is dealing with a loss.

The gunman, 18-year-old Jakob Wagner was fatally shot by police that night.

Tracy and her husband Dave Cooper went to the wake to show support for the Wagner family.

”We know it's difficult for us, but we couldn't imagine for her,” said Dave.

Now, the family is focused on healing.

“Before getting shot I loved just going outside, shooting baskets, and I'm just really athletic kind of, so the hardest part's probably just not being able to get up and do all the athletic things I like to do,” said Collin.

Collin knows things could have ended much different if timing had been just a moment off.

“I just feel really lucky and thankful I guess that it wasn't a lot worse,” Collin said.

Now, Collin has a message to share.

“I just wanted everybody to know that I'm okay," said Colin. "I'm doing well and I will be back to where I was before."

Collin's girlfriend was also wounded that night. She is back school and recovering in Illinois.